They live on the streets, under bridges and in the shadows. Some have nowhere to else go. Some don’t want to go anywhere else.
It doesn’t matter to Cpl. John Moritz of the Harris County Constable Pct. One Alan Rosen’s homeless outreach team. He is on the streets to help. The last thig he wants to do is place someone in jail if what they really need is a little assistance.
“If you want a hand out, I’m not interested,” Moritz said. “If you want a hand up, I’m real interested.”
Moritz says he prefers to steer them to specialized services, to ways out of their predicaments, but only if they want it.
His Constable Precinct One SUV purposely has low-profile markings in order to appear more calming. It is often loaded with donated blankets, hoodies, socks, and shoes. They are all new, packed in plastic, and ready to be shared.
Cpl. Moritz on patrol in his SUV, only lightly marked to appear more reassuring. (Photo courtesy of the Precinct Once Constable’s Office)
He offers rides to shelters, the sobering center or, from time-to-time, all the way home to family.
Moritz joined the Office of Harris County Constable Precinct One Alan Rosen in 2014 after working at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, where he was a major.
“This is important work that helps the community, one life at a time,” Rosen said. “We have seen how properly helping people can turn around their lives and, in that way, make communities safer.”
Moritz said that for him, helping people off the streets has been more rewarding than putting people in jail.
“When I was a young cop, I wanted to be in a patrol car and running and gunning,” Moritz recalled. “As I got older, I realized I needed to give something back. ‘What did I want to do with my life? What is the legacy that I want to leave?’”
Cpl. Moritz’s patrol vehicle contains boxes of clothing, shoes, and personal items to distribute to the city’s unsheltered. (Photo courtesy of the Precinct One Constable’s Office)
The rest has quietly become Harris County history.
Today, Moritz knows many homeless people by their first names, is aware of their stories and habits.
A man named John roams downtown and, no matter how many times he’s given a fresh set of clothes, he ends up tearing them off.
As temperatures cool, Cpl. Moritz makes sure his patrol vehicle is well-stocked with warm clothing for the homeless. (Photo courtesy of the Precinct One Constable’s Office)
Another, Demetrius, a veteran, sits on the same shaded corner each day. He talks to himself and is guarded about where he stays or what he needs. He rarely accepts help and never causes any trouble.
Lola was recently in a psychiatric institution. She warns to stay away from the very same streets where she has often gotten into trouble.
When it’s raining, Moritz helps them stay dry.
When it is searing hot, he helps them find shade
When temperatures plunge, he helps them hunker down and stay warm.
Moritz is known to occasionally use money from his own pocket to help someone get a bite to eat. He makes regular rounds in various parts of Houston, especially in the downtown and Montrose areas. He works in collaboration with churches and shelters, and has a mobile shower truck that can be brought in to help people clean up.
Moritz is often on call. His fellow deputies know they can count on him when they encounter someone who needs help, especially if they want it.